Washington Travel Nurse Stipend Calculator
Washington's average GSA rates allow up to $1,736/week in tax-free housing plus $644/week for meals — a combined ceiling around $2,380/week. Verify any WA stipend quote below.
Data reviewed July 3, 2026 · 50 states, 221 cities, FY2026 GSA rates
Market pay and rent figures on this page are our own editorial estimates, reviewed July 31, 2026 — not survey or government wage data. How we produce these numbers.
$248/night
Avg GSA Lodging
$92/day
M&IE Rate
~$2,380/wk
Combined Weekly Ceiling
$7,539/mo
Monthly Housing Allowance
Travel Nurse Pay Breakdown
Estimate your take-home pay, taxes, and blended rate in seconds.
Federal tax applies to wages after the $16,100 standard deduction; FICA applies to all wages. Tax-free stipends are excluded from both.
Same-state assignment, and WA levies no wage income tax, so no state income tax return is due on these wages.
Overtime (Optional)
Blended Hourly Rate
$122.11
Based on 36 hours in WA.
Gross Weekly Pay
$4,396
Taxable Weekly Income
$2,016
Estimated Weekly Taxes
$428
True Net Weekly Pay
$3,968
Assignment Projections
13-Week Assignment
$51,585
Net Pay
26-Week Assignment
$103,170
Net Pay
Annual (52 weeks)
$206,339
Net Pay
Take Home vs Taxes
Take Home
$3,968
per week
Taxes
$428
per week
Total Gross: $4,396 per week
🏠 Housing Stipend Analysis
Your Weekly Housing Stipend
$1,736
≈ $7,517/month
Est. 1BR Rent in Washington
$1,600
Monthly average
✅ Potential Tax-Free Pocket Money
+$5,917
Your stipend covers rent with $5,917 left over each month.
Find apartments under $1,600/month in Seattle:
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Cost of Living Analysis in Washington
After rent, this is what you'll have left each month for other expenses
National average = 100. Washington's cost of living is higher than the national average by 18.7 points.
Housing Cost: High
Utilities: Moderate
Rent figures are our own editorial estimates, not survey or listings data. Actual rent varies by neighborhood and housing type.
Resources for Your Assignment
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Stipend vs Rent by Washington City
Monthly GSA housing allowance against average one-bedroom rent — positive margin means the max stipend more than covers housing.
| City | GSA Lodging/mo | 1BR Rent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $7,539 | $2,100 | +$5,439/mo |
| Tacoma | $4,134 | $1,400 | +$2,734/mo |
| Spokane | $3,830 | $1,100 | +$2,730/mo |
| Bellingham | $3,344 | $1,000 | +$2,344/mo |
| Yakima | $3,344 | $1,000 | +$2,344/mo |
Washington Stipend Questions
What is the maximum housing stipend in Washington?
Stipend ceilings follow GSA per diem rates, set per city. Washington's average GSA lodging rate is $248/night — about $1,736/week or $7,539/month in tax-free housing allowance. Add the $92/day M&IE rate and the combined weekly ceiling is roughly $2,380. Individual cities run higher or lower.
Is my Washington stipend offer good?
Compare it to two numbers: the GSA ceiling for the assignment city (offers at the ceiling are maxed; offers well below have negotiating headroom) and the local one-bedroom rent (a stipend above rent is tax-free profit). The table on this page shows both for every Washington city we track.
Are travel nurse stipends taxable in Washington?
Stipends are federal-tax-free (and state-tax-free) when you maintain a qualifying tax home and work far enough away to need overnight lodging — the state doesn't change the IRS rules. Amounts above the GSA ceiling for your assignment ZIP are generally treated as taxable wages.
Which Washington cities have the best stipend margin?
Seattle currently has the best margin we track in Washington — the monthly GSA lodging allowance runs $5,439 above average one-bedroom rent. See the full city table above and the GSA Rate Explorer for all 221 cities nationally.